Monday, November 15, 2010

The Great Gatsby, initial thoughts

Nick as a narrator seems impressionable, but he wants to be a man who accepts others. The first section of writing seems to be setting the scene about his own character making it known he is from a wealthy family, possible to emphasize the immense wealth of the people he socialises with during the novel.
His small introduction to Gatsby seems praising although it is obvious there is an event or difference of opinion that causes his to think differently of him in the novel which is solved at the end.
There are various phrases which intrigue the reader throughout the beginning of the story such as
"Abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men"
which seem fairly to the point, yet it's a thoughtful statement possibly an insight to Nick's character.
It is interesting he mentions men fondly quite a few times but never shows any interest of women even though you would think a young soldier who participated in the war would be...

3 comments:

  1. I agree with your thoughts on there being a difference of oppinion over the course of the tale of Gatsby. It makes you question things like 'What went wrong?' ect.

    Nick flaunts his wealth to the reader, which you have noted as empahasis with the people he later hangs around with. Does he feel that if he was not wealthy, he would'nt be able to hang around with them?

    Well done =D

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  2. What's the insight to Nick's character that this quotation suggests? I think the fact that he's been to war is very significant.

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  3. I think the quotation suggests that Nick was possibly more effected by the war than he portrays. "Abortive sorrows" could be that he is running from his own sorrows? and "short winded elations" could refer to the short lives of the men he may have witnesssed die.
    This may also suggest why he is so desperate to find Gatsby's relations and friends at the end of the novel; because he has witnessed so many funerals with hundreds of people.
    Just some thoughts.

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